Rotary sewer cleaning tool



July 31, 1956 J M. HOGAN ROTARY SEWER CLEANING TOOL Filed Feb. 9, 1952 JNVENTOR. JZaH/v /V/'. Howl/v,

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United States Patent ROTARY SEWER CLEANlN G TOOL John Milburn Hogan, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application February 9, 1952, Serial No. 270,775

4 Claims. (Cl. 104.3)

This invention relates to a rotary sewer-cleaning tool adapted to be driven by a flexible cable.

It is the object of the invention to provide a one-piece sewer-cleaning tool or flycutter which is adapted to be driven by the flexible cable of any existing sewer-cleaning machine, and which provides an improved cutting and cleaning action, and does not tend to become entangled with obstructions in the sewer.

In accordance with the invention, the tool comprises a shank adapted to be attached to the forward end of a sewer-cleaning cable and rotatably driven thereby in a predetermined direction of rotation and advanced axially as the cable is pushed forward through the pipe being cleaned. A cutter blade extends in a helix from that shank, through about half a turn; and the shank desirably lies substantially at the circumference of the helix rather than at the axis thereof. The helical blade trails the shank as it is rotated, and the shank-attached end of the blade, which is the leading end in the direction of rotation, lies axially rearward of the trailing end with respect to the direction of cable advance. The helix of the blade thus progresses axially rearward, in the opposite direction from cable ad- Vance, as it progresses circumferentially in the direction of its rotation. Its lead is therefore a negative lead. The amount of lead may vary, and is desirably proportionately less for larger diameter blades than for smaller diameter blades. I prefer to use a lead of approximately two inches.

The blade is desirably of hardened steel, with teeth ground into its forward edge, and permissibly also into its rearward edge. At its trailing end and desirably also at a point near its leading end, the blade carries a forwardly projecting knife with its sharpened edge facing in the direction of blade rotation.

The tool is rotated in a direction which tends to unscrew the blade from any obstruction in the pipe belng cleaned, while the cable is pushed forward to advance the blade through such obstruction. The forward blade teeth and knives are thus dragged across the obstruction in a circular path to cut it out of the pipe. Because of the lead and of the circumferential position of the shank on the helix, the tool tends to cut an opening of larger diameter than that of the blade helix, and thus to cut its Way to the full diameter of the tile or pipe being cleaned.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention. In such drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sewer-cleaning tool or flycutter embodying the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tool of Fig. 1.

My special cutter A is designed for attachment to any flexible cable B, or the like and is used for cutting obstructions from the inside of sewer pipe or tile. The threaded end of the cold rolled steel shank 2 can be adapted to any type fitting that may be on the flexible cable. The method outlined by Figure 1 in the drawing shows the cold rolled steel shank 2 screwed into a standard nut 1 which is brazed onto the end of the flexible cable 13.

The cutting members consist of the main rigid steel blade 3 which is pressed into a slot in the end of the cold rolled steel shank 2 and brazed into place. Onto the main steel blade 3 are brazed two extended knife edge blades, 4 and 5, which are also made of rigid steel construction.

The inverted shaped saw teeth 6 are ground into both sides of the main blade 3 between the extended knife blades 4 and 5 to get a shearing action on the obstruction and reduce the load on the two extended knife edge blades 4 and 5.

The main steel blade 3 is shaped in the form of a helix having forwardly extending cutter blades 4 and 5 brazed thereto to enable the cutter head A to cut its way into the obstruction with a shearing and self cleaning action. The two inch lead on the helix causes the tool to advance at the proper speed so that the multiple inverted V-shaped saw teeth 6 ground into the main blade 3 will cut the center portion of the obstruction with a shearing action as the cutter A progresses.

Also, the two inch helical lead of the main blade 3 enables the operator to easily insert this cutter A into a small opening or to remove it. Since the main blade 3 has a helical shape it will easily make a degree turn at a corner or a T in the sewer and does not get fast on a tile that has shifted causing a step in the tile.

I have described the principles of the construction of my rotary sewer cleaning tool in accordance with the patent statutes. I desire to have it understood that this is only illustrative of a means of my invention and that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A cutter head for sewer-cleaning machines, comprising a shank adapted to be attached to a rotatable driving member, a rigid arcuate blade extending through an arc of carried at one end by said shank and extending laterally therefrom in a direction to trail said shank upon normal rotation thereof by said driving member, the forward edge of said blade lying in a helix of negative lead to position the trailing end of said blade ahead of said shank, and cutting teeth at the forward edge of the blade.

2. A cutter head as defined in claim 1 with the addition that said cutting teeth include a forwardly projecting knife carried by said blade at a point spaced between its trailing end and the shank.

3. A cutter head as defined in claim 1 with the addition that said cutting teeth include a forwardly projecting knife carried by said blade immediately adjacent the trailing end thereof.

4. A cutter head as defined in claim 1 in which the axis of the shank is positioned at the circumference of the helix of the blade edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 423,128 Christofiel Mar. 11, 1890 878,145 Middleton Feb. 4, 1908 1,653,995 English Dec. 27, 1927 2,005,936 Crane June 25, 1945 2,158,577 Haley May 16, 1939 2,292,713 OLeary Aug. 11, 1942 2,323,727 Robinson July 6, 1943 2,431,089 Therrien Nov. 18, 1947 2,517,227 OLeary Aug. 1, 1950 2,628,380 Therrien Feb. 17, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 249,078 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1948 

